Jason Dorymeade cycled the length of the Leeds Liverpool Canal in two days to raise money for the Forward Leeds Recovery Graduation.
Jason is a Recovery Coordinator at the Forward Leeds hub in Armley. He works with people who have issues with alcohol and drugs. Jason was supported by the service himself before becoming abstinent and graduating in 2020.
Jason said: “I’m not much of a cyclist and I haven’t been on a bike for a long time before deciding to do this. I just wanted to set myself a real challenge.
“I wanted to raise money so the people we have supported can have a really memorable experience when they graduate. For many people graduation marks a turning point in their life. It’s both a celebration of what they have accomplished in becoming abstinent, and an opportunity to look forward to what they can now achieve with their life.”
Jason set off from the start of the canal at Stanley Dock in Liverpool on the 6 May at 9am and cycled the first 60 miles in eight hours before stopping overnight near Blackburn.
On day two Jason set off earlier in the morning but had two punctures to repair along the way. That still didn’t deter him and he pushed on to the finish.
He completed the 126 miles on Saturday 7 May arriving at Granary Wharf in Leeds at 5pm where he was greeted by friends and colleagues.
Last year’s Recovery Graduation took place last September at Elland Road where the graduates were joined by celebrity guests former Leeds United football Jermaine Beckford and World Boxing Champion Maxi Hughes.
With the money Jason has raised Forward Leeds is hoping to provide a similarly fitting occasion for the 2022 graduates.
It’s not too late to donate to Jason’s fundraising effort. You can visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/grand-graduation-cycle
